Illusion
Illusion is the first episode of the third season of Young Justice. It aired on April 13 2014, alongside the next episode, "Grave". Overview The Team faces a surprising new enemy! Episode It had been three months since the defeat of the Reach and the end of the alien invasion. It had also been three months since the death of Wally West, the first Kid Flash. Numerous members of the Team were sparring with each other: Wonder Girl and Superboy, Robin and Blue Beetle, Lagoon Boy and Guardian, and Miss Martian and Tigress. Recognize B-23 Kid Flash Bart Allen, the new Kid Flash, formerly known as Impulse, zeta-beamed inside. "Alright guys," Batgirl said. "I think that's enough sparring for today." "Any new leads about Savage or the Warworld?" Superboy asked. "None yet," Batgirl replied sadly. "Come on guys, let's hit the showers," Superboy said. The boys, sans Kid Flash and Beast Boy, left the room. "Oh no, what time is it?" Wonder Girl asked. "Uh, it was four sixteen when I zeta'd in," Kid Flash said. "Good, I can still watch WWE!" she exclaimed happily. "Tell Robin where I went!" she called, zetabeaming off. "I don't know about her," Batgirl chuckled. "Eh, she's fine," Tigress said. She removed her mask. "Artemis, how are you doing?" Miss Martian asked. "I'm fine," Artemis said. "Why wouldn't I be? I've moved on." "Artemis..." Batgirl said. "See you guys later," Artemis told them. "Bart, Gar can you two go get the other guys when they're done?" Batgirl asked. "Sure, why?" "I got another call from B'arzz O'oomm. He needs assistance on Mars, so I'll need Superboy and you Beast Boy. And Bart, tell La'gaan to meet Aqualad in Atlantis." Batgirl said. Kid Flash and Beast Boy eagerly ran through the Watchtower. "Have you heard from Dick?" M'gann asked. Batgirl sadly shook her head no. Dick Grayson, clad in his Nightwing outfit, had just finished stopping a bank robbery. He smiled to himself as he left. Nightwing performed numerous acrobatic moves, going from rooftop to rooftop until he arrived at his apartment. He slid through the window and flopped down on the couch, exhausted. "That was a long night." he said to himself. "Was it?" a voice asked. On high alert, Nightwing jumped up from the couch. He was invigorated with energy. Nightwing pulled out his eskrima sticks and barrelled towards his intruder's voice. "It's me, Dick." the man said. "Bruce..." Nightwing said, removing his mask. "You could have said hello first." Dick told him. Batman stepped out of the shadows. Dick turned on the light switch. "What do you want, Bruce?" he asked. "You have taken a three month long sabbatical from the Team. Three months having left Batgirl and Aqualad trying to search for any leads on Vandal Savage. What have you been doing?" "I've been..." he began. Batman gave him a hard stare. "You aren't making me feel guilty for looking for my best friend." "Wally's dead, Dick. It's been more than enough time to let him go." Batman told him. "But science says Matter cannot be created nor destroyed, so where did Wally go? He has to be alive!" "Dick, I'm sorry. Even if Wally was alive, why would he not come in contact with you, with Artemis?" Dick sighed. "Please, return to the Team at least for a little while. Batgirl and Aqualad need your help." Batman said. "Our leads have all but dried up. They need your thinking." "Fine..." Dick told him. "However," Batman began. "After we find Savage, and the rest of the Light, I promise, if Wally is in fact alive, we will find him," Batman told him. Dick turned around, and when he looked back, Batman was gone. Artemis walked into her mother's apartment. "How was your day?" the wheel-chair bound Paula Crock asked. "Fine. Stopped a few muggings here and there," Artemis said. "Good job," Paula told her. Artemis walked into her room and changed into a black sweater and blue sweat pants. "I'm going to bed Mom," Artemis called. "Are you sure? It's only eight-" her mother replied. "Good night," Artemis said. She walked into her room once more and found Brucely sleeping in her bed. She got into her blanket and lied down next to him. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at a framed picture of herself and Wally on the nightstand. Batgirl and Robin were walking to Wayne Manor through the streets of Gotham. "You know, Halloween is in a few days," Batgirl said. "Yeah, I know," Robin said. "Are you and Cassie going to a party?" "Babs!" "Tim?" "Yes, we are," Tim told her. "Have fun," Barbara said. "What about you and Dick?" "Dick and I...haven't talked much since Independance Day. Not at all actually. So, no, I don't think we're going anywhere." "Sorry." "It's fine. I just wish he'd talk so I know he's not dead like-" she forced herself to stop mid-sentence. "Like...Jason?" Tim asked. "You know, you guys still haven't told me how he died." "That's a story for another night," Barbara told him. The next morning, the entire Team was gathered for a briefing in the Watchtower. "Okay, Lagoon Boy, Aqualad is waiting for you in Atlantis. You and he will be Alpha Squad." "Finally!" he exclaimed in excitement. Batgirl gave a smile at him. "Now, we recently received a distress call from B'arzz O'oomm. Superboy, Beast Boy, and Miss Martian will be Beta Squad. You'll be going to Mars on the Bio-ship." "Bumblebee, Static, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl and Guardian you're Gamma. Head to Metropolis and investigate a Lexcorp facility." Alpha, Beta, and Gamma squads left to their respective missions. Tigress, Blue Beetle, Robin, and Batgirl remained in the Watchtower. "What are we going to do?" Tigress asked. Recognize Nightwing B-01. "Hey guys," Nightwing said. "Nightwing!" everyone exclaimed. Batgirl and Tigress hugged him. Robin and Blue Beetle shook his hand. "Where have you been?" Batgirl demanded. "Looking for Wally..." Nightwing muttered. "Blue, you're sure the Scarab said ceased, not died, right?" Batgirl asked. "Yeah, the Scarab said he would cease in sixteen seconds." Blue Beetle said. "Zatanna and I went back to the Arctic in July. She said that when someone dies, their life force leaves an imprint, even if they were vaporized." Tigress said. "Wally didn't have an imprint anywhere. Zatanna even tried a locating spell, but...nothing." "To be honest guys, I didn't come back for Wally. Sorry." he said. "I came back because we need to find Vandal Savage and from what I've heard, all your leads have dried up." "I say we should check out the League of Shadows. Ra's has to be alive by now." "I'll see if Cheshire knows anything about their moves now." Tigress said. Tigress called Cheshire on the phone. "Jade, do you know anything about the League of Shadows moves right now?" "Sis, how many times do I have to say I'm not with them anymore?" Jade replied. "Jade, do you know anything?" "No, but I can find out." Jade told her. Artemis heard Jade talking to Red Arrow. "Roy, take care of Lian while I'm out helping Artemis." "Cheshire is trying to find out what the Shadows next move is." Artemis told everyone. "Good," Batgirl said. "We'll be ready when she contacts us again." Cheshire met with Arsenal, the original Roy Harper, at the docks of Star City. "So, you need my help again?" "I've heard you've been keeping a close eye on the League of Shadows, as well as Lex Luthor." Cheshire told him. "Yeah, so what's up?" "Do you know what the Shadows are doing now?" she asked. "From my intel, they're going to the Gotham Cemetary." Arsenal told her. "Thanks kid." Cheshire said. She called Artemis. "They're in Gotham." Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, Tigress, and Blue Beetle zeta-beamed to Gotham City. "What do you think the Shadows are up to?" Robin asked. "Don't know, ese. But it can't be good." Blue Beetle replied. The Team arrived at Gotham Cemetary. League of Shadows ninjas were stationed outside the gates. They had their weapons ready at anything inside. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Tigress, and Blue Beetle easily dealt with them. Robin flipped over the gates to the cemetary, followed by the others. "Ra's, Talia! It's good to see you two again!" Robin called. He had engaged on a mission against them alongside Batman last May. Ra's Al Ghul and his daughter Talia were walking away from a row of graves. "Ah, the young detective!" Ra's said. "And the detective's original protege! And friends..." "What are you doing here, Ra's?" Nightwing asked. "We are here to return a favor. And a failure." Ra's told him. "What are you talking about?" Batgirl asked. "Shadows, return to base!" Talia ordered. The ninjas flipped over the gates outside the cemetary. They sccattered away from the Team. A helicoptor flew overhead, piloted by Professor Ojo. "No!" Batgirl cried. She threw a batarang at the helicoptor, trying to sever their rope as Ra's and Talia climbed up it. It missed the rope by half an inch. "What were they doing here?" Tigress asked. "I don't know..." Nightwing said. Robin and Blue Beetle walked over to the row of graves Ra's and Talia were standing near. "Here lies Jason Todd..." Blue Beetle read a tombstone. "Jason was the Robin before you, right?" Tim nodded. Nightwing and Batgirl looked at each other. "Guys, why did the Shadows have their weapons pointed in here?" Tigress asked. "It was to make sure someone didn't break in." Nightwing said. "Not break out..." Batgirl looked doubtful at his claim. "Let's get back to the Watchtower." she said. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Tigress, and Blue Beetle quickly left the Gotham Cemetary. Back in the Watchtower, Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, Tigress, and Blue Beetle remained confused. "Team, we're receiving a newscast from Central City." Batgirl said. Iris West-Allen was reporting on the News station. "It appears that a young man in black has been wreaking damage throughout the city!" she said. "Let's go!" Tigress said. The Team zeta-beamed to Central City. A man in black had destroyed the Flash statue in Central City. He had a large mane of dark red hair, wore a sleek black body-suit, black face mask, blood red goggles, and black boots with red soles on them. "What are you doing?" Nightwing asked. The young man smiled at him. "I'm taking my revenge!" the young man cried. His voice was robotic. "Who are you?" Tigress asked. "Call me...Black Flash!" he said. He ran circles around the group, taking away their oxygen. Tigress, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin fell to the ground, unconscious. Blue Beetle remained unharmed. "Threat level rising! Permission to evicerate?" Scaraba asked Jaime. "Maybe not quite that bad. But permission to cause a lot of pain!" Jaime exclaimed. He created a sonic cannon, and fired it at "Black Flash". Black Flash laughed, and merely superspeeded away. Hours later, a hand reached out of the dirt from a grave. It pulled itself out, and later a body came out along with it. It was a young man, wearing a dirty white shirt, black tie, and black slacks. His hands were splattered with long since dried blood, seemingly from an explosion. Lightning struck the sky as the young man smiled to himself. He pulled out a small communication device with an R on it. Flashes of images passed before his eyes: a bloody crowbar, a bomb in a warehouse, maniacal laughter. And someone who wore a costume with a blue emblem on it? He looked at his grave, and walked out of the cemetary. Jason Todd was alive, and out for vengeance...